Here’s our advice on what to look for...
Find a fully qualified and reputable installer, ideally certified by a relevant industry accreditation body.
See here for a list of accreditation schemes providing certified installers in your area.
Get at least three quotes from three different installers before signing a contract.
Beware of heavy-handed sales techniques, such as pressure to sign on the day, high prices with large discounts for signing on the spot, or bogus monitoring scheme discounts. Don’t compare installers on cost alone – the cheapest may not be the most appropriate. See below for more information on how to review installers’ quotes and what to ask the installers when reviewing their quotes.
Check out the installer’s previous work either by asking them directly or on their website.
Also check any available customer reviews and testimonials on Google reviews, on Trustpilot etc.
Check the maintenance requirements of your system and any post-installation support the installer is offering.
Check what guarantees the installer will provide you for the quality of their work and the products they will install.
Project management
Will the installer project manage the whole job, or will you need to arrange and pay for other trades like electricians, scaffolders, plumbers or groundworkers?
Commissioning
What level of commissioning and handover is included? All certified installers must commission systems once fully installed to make sure they’re fit for purpose, so this should be included in the price, but different installers will offer different levels of support during the handover phase.
Payment terms
What payment options are available?
Your deposit shouldn’t be more than 25 per cent of the full cost. You should check that this will be protected with insurance.
Product specification
What are the specifics of the system, including size, estimated electricity generation, efficiency values and maintenance cycles? You will need to do this to ensure the proposed system meets your requirements, but also to allow you to make comparisons between different installers’ quotes.
14 Questions to ask your installer
Note - 5. Is this a final and fixed price? It’s essential the installer visits your property and carries out an inspection to understand your needs. Some installers may give an indicative quote before a site visit and then an amended and fixed price quote afterwards. Often an installer will quote based on certain assumptions, even after a site visit, and then charge extra for unforeseen complexities. The installer should be able to provide a list of circumstances where an additional charge may be added.
Finding an accredited installer...
Accreditation schemes provide standards of quality for the work of an installer. They are a way for the installers to demonstrate competence and provide assurance and confidence to their clients for the high standards of their outputs. Accreditation schemes are not a legal requirement, but they are intended to ensure a high standard of installation work. Some funding schemes require that an accredited installer is used.
There are the two main accreditation schemes in England for the technologies covered in this framework.
You can search for a certified installer in your local area using the online tools provided on their websites. Click the buttons on each listing and use their directories to find an accredited contractor near you.
TrustMark
TrustMark is the only UK Government-Endorsed Quality Scheme for improvements carried out in and around a property. Since 2005, they have been working to help drive-up standards across the industry and improve the protection offered to customers when having work done. TrustMark help customers find tradespeople who are skilled, trained and competent to carry out the work needed.
Technologies: Solar PV, battery storage, solar thermal, heat pumps, heating controls, lighting, wall and roof insulation.
Locations covered: All of the UK.
Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)
MCS is a standards organisation, a mark of quality. They certify low-carbon products and installations used to produce electricity and heat from renewable sources. In addition, they create and maintain standards that allow for the certification of products, installers and their installations. Using an MCS-certified installer ensures that equipment meets good standards of performance and that installers are technically safe and competent.
Technologies covered: Solar PV, battery storage, solar thermal, heat pumps.
Locations covered: All of the UK.